Barney Frank: “I agree we have a forgery problem, but it is greater than Members may think. It is not of the matricula consular.…”

“I agree we have a forgery problem, but it is greater than Members may think. It is not of the matricula consular. Apparently someone has forged a letter from the United States Department of Justice. Because I have a letter today, I know my chairman has it, signed by a man who purports to be James B. Comey, the Deputy Attorney General, and it is on the letterhead of the U.S. Department of Justice and it supports this amendment. And it says, 'The Department of Justice fully supports the administration's current policy under the USA PATRIOT Act that requires banks and financial institutions to establish reasonable procedures. Therefore, the Department supports the Oxley-Frank-Kolbe amendment that preserves these regulations.' So it is not just the matricula consular that is being forged. Apparently there is somebody forging letters from the Department of Justice. So maybe we should suspend the proceedings and send out the Sergeant of Arms. Contempt of Congress. Now, I think, frankly, that forgery has been somewhat exaggerated in this debate, but the biggest exaggeration is this: So, yes, a couple of years ago people said various things, but there has been an evolution and we now have the policy of President Bush, supported by the Department of Justice and the Department of Treasury, and that is what is being assailed here today.”